A 23-year-old man accused of recklessly shooting his girlfriend last week told police that he had been "dry firing" his friend's BB gun and had mistaken his friend's .45 caliber handgun for the BB gun and fired it.

Benjamen Allen Sprague said he racked the slide like the BB gun, and pulled the trigger without aiming at anything, and then heard the bang. His girlfriend, Jessica Heffler, 17, who was standing nearby, was shot in the abdomen.

Sprague admitted to police he had been drinking, and had four beers prior to the shooting, according to court records.

The owner of the gun, Grant Arnold, 19, told police Sprague and Heffler were at his house in the 14000 bock of Southeast Foster Road on Dec. 13. They'd all been listening to music and drinking Four Loko energy drinks in his bedroom, Arnold said.

Arnold told police he had his .45-caliber handgun out because he was cleaning it. Arnold said he left the bedroom to make popcorn.

"I had an accident with your .45," Sprague told Arnold, according to a probable cause affidavit. "We need to get help."

Portland police officers who arrived heard yelling and found Heffler lying on a bedroom floor. She required reconstructive surgery for bowel damage, the affidavit says.

Sprague, of Happy Valley, faces allegations of recklessly endangering another person and third-degree assault. He's been ordered to have no contact with the victim, and not possess weapons or intoxicants. Court records show he gets paid by the state to provide care for his mother, who he lives with. He's posted bail, and is due back in court on Dec. 29.